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Ohhhh… It’s A Lady!

When I read that Natalie Randolph was named, in early March, the new head coach for Washington’s Coolidge High Colts, a MALE varsity football team, I was a tad worried. You see, while I am obviously all for the advancement of woman in sports and typically held male jobs, I don’t think it should happen, just because.

I’m kinda old school I guess. No matter what the job, I believe the person with the most to offer the position, should land the gig. This may be an unpopular sentiment because of the fact that minorities and woman haven’t been given the same opportunities along the way to become the most qualified… And before you prepare to pelt me with whatever food you have laying around, hear me out.

When the folks doing the hiring focus on what you’re bringing to the table, our experiences asfemales end up equating qualifications. The experiences of being a woman differentiate us, and make us stand out. And so is the case with Ms. Randolph.

Members of the hiring committee said Randolph stood out because, unlike so many other applicants she didn’t talk about herself, she talked about the team. This 29-year old biology and environmental sciences teacher focused on increasing GPA scores, SAT prep classes, after-school mentoring, and of course, winning football games. It’s obvious she loves football, teaching and children, and that’s why she’s now holding this typcally male dominated position.

Being a pioneer has less to do about whether we go to the Men’s or Woman’s bathroom and more about a new way of thinking, a new attitude, a new path. A social crusade to bring more woman into places where they have never been before can happen without a focus on gender or sex, but what we as individuals have to offer, what make us unique, what ultimately makes us women.

I imagine it won’t be an easy road, football after all is a man’s world and testosterone fueled. I cringe at the thought of crass comments by players, opposing coaches and talking heads nationwide. But I’m confident that this Tony Dungy-esque coach will do things her way, and quite the naysayer with wins and a successful program of developing young leaders and future pioneers!